Philippine Leader Tells Police to Kill Only in Self-Defence in War on Drugs

Share this:

FILE PHOTO: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte speaks during a news conference at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Paranaque, Metro Manila, Philippines, May 24, 2017. Credit: Reuters/Erik De Castro/File Photo

Manila: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday backed police on the front lines of a war on drugs that he said would not cease, but warned officers their duty was to arrest suspects and kill only if their lives were in danger.

The firebrand leader, now facing the most intense scrutiny so far in his controversial but popular crackdown, said he could not justify last week’s high-profile killing of a high school student, and police responsible had not followed instructions and would face justice.

Though Duterte stood firmly behind a campaign that has killed thousands of mostly urban poor Filipinos, his remarks were a departure from the bellicose rhetoric that critics say has created a culture of impunity and emboldened police to execute suspects. Police reject that.

“You are not allowed to kill a person that is kneeling down begging for his life. That is murder,” Duterte said in a speech.

“When I say you get him, it includes doing the arresting and then if there is a violent resistance, they (police) have to defend themselves.”

Kian Loyd Delos Santos, 17, was among more than 90 people killed in three days of intensified police operations last week that marked the bloodiest chapter of a campaign that has alarmed the international community.

Security camera footage showed a man matching the victim’s description being dragged by plain-clothes police to an alley where he was found dead. Police said he was a drug courier, but his family insisted he was unarmed, innocent and murdered.

His death has attracted huge domestic attention, with political opponents demanding the killings stop and some churches opposing the bloodshed and ringing bells at night in protest. Demonstrations have taken place, the latest a small rally outside police headquarters on Wednesday.

Duterte has repeatedly vowed to pardon police convicted of abuses during his anti-drug campaign, but on Wednesday he said there would be no protection for those who broke the rules of engagement.

“Let us be clear on this. I said I will protect those who are doing their duty. I never promised to protect those who are supposedly engaged in doing their duty but committing a crime in the process,” he said, adding that abuses “cannot be done”.

Condemnation of Duterte’s 14-month-old war on drugs has come mainly from human rights groups, political opponents and foreign critics, with Filipinos largely supportive of the campaign, echoing the government view that the suppression of drugs use is making the streets safer.

Critics say that Duterte is turning a blind eye to systematic abuses and cover-ups with an unquestioning acceptance of an official police line that typically says those killed were drug dealers who had violently resisted arrest.

“I will not change my policy, there will be war on against drugs because I have to protect the people,” he said. “I have that sworn duty to defend the people and protect the republic.”

(Reuters)

Liked the story? We’re a non-profit. Make a donation and help pay for our journalism.

The website owner has placed an Orcsnet collector in this box.

Orcsnet lets you support this article with a ₹5 royalty - record your royalty with a click or a tap - pay when convenient.

You will need to enable iframes in your browser's settings to activate it.

Subscribe

Get a summary of new posts published on The Wire delivered to your inbox, every day. No spam.

* indicates required

Email Address *

First Name

Last Name

Email Format

html

text

Support The Wire

The founding premise of The Wire is this: if good journalism is to survive and thrive, it can only do so by being both editorially and financially independent. This means relying principally on contributions from readers and concerned citizens who have no interest other than to sustain a space for quality journalism. Read more

Contact us

The Wire RSS Feed

Copyright

The Wire is published by the Foundation for Independent Journalism, a not-for-profit company registered under Section 8 of the Company Act, 2013.

CIN: U74140DL2015NPL285224

About Us

As a publication, The Wire will be firmly committed to the public interest and democratic values. Apart from providing authoritative analysis and commentary, the aim, as our resources grow, is to build ourselves as a platform driven by good old-fashioned reporting on issues of national and international importance and interest.

Twitter

Acknowledgment

The Independent and Public Spirited Media Foundation has provided financial support to the Foundation for Independent Journalism (FIJ) for the purpose of reporting and publishing stories of public interest. IPSMF does not take any legal or moral responsibility whatsoever for the content published by FIJ on their website thewire.in or on any of its other platforms.